The UN Security Council failed to adopt a resolution on Sudan calling on the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to respect and fully implement their obligations under the Jeddah Declaration on the Protection of Civilians.
This failure was due to Russia’s use of its veto power. The draft resolution, presented by Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom, received support from 14 out of 15 Security Council members. However, the Council could not adopt the resolution due to Russia’s veto as a permanent member.
The draft resolution condemns the ongoing attacks by the Rapid Support Forces in El Fasher and demands an immediate cessation of all attacks against civilians in Darfur, Gezira, Sennar, and other areas.
It also calls on the conflicting parties to immediately halt hostilities and return to dialogue to agree on steps to de-escalate the fighting and impose a ceasefire in Sudan.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated after the vote: “Sudanese civilians have suffered high levels of violence during the war in Sudan. This suffering is a scar on our collective conscience.”Lammy criticized the Russian position, saying: “The Russian veto is a Shameful and once again shows the world Russia’s true face.” He accused Russia of using mercenaries to spread conflict and violence across the African continent.
The war in Sudan erupted in April last year between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, claiming tens of thousands of lives. A recent statistic reported that the Sudanese war has resulted in over 61,000 deaths in the capital Khartoum alone. The conflict has caused the world’s worst displacement crisis, according to UN organizations.
Source: Al-Yurea – Sudanese newspapers and agencies
